One of China’s four great classics, Dream of the Red Chamber, is a novel written by Cao Xueqin, the novel provides a detailed, episodic record of the two branches of the wealthy and aristocratic Jia clan — the Rongguo House and the Ningguo House — who reside in two large, adjacent family compounds in the capital Beijing in feudal Qing Dynasty. According to describe dozens characters fate in the two Houses with a big clan’s history from prosperity to decline, Dream of the Red Chamber implicitly criticize the feudal privileges, social estate system and class inequality. To the feudal dynasty, it has a lot of impact.
The theme reflects on several outstanding characters. One example is Jia Tanchun, who is the main protagonist Jia Baoyu’s younger half-sister by Concubine Zhao. She is lamented was “born in the wrong womb”, because as a concubine child she is not respected as much as those by first wives. But she is brash and extremely outspoken, almost as capable as the host of the whole clan. Tanchun’s nickname is “Rose “for her beauty and her prickly personality. She is a good example of fighting the feudal rural and unequal status. Even unfortunately she cannot avoid tragic fate under cruel and indifferent society, but her spirit of anti- privilege and anti-feudalism is so impressive. Another character has rebel spirit is Qingwen, who is Baoyu’s handmaid; also the only maid dares to argue with Baoyu when reprimanded.
The whole novel is a pioneer in that extreme unequal society, most of characters are female, and their spirit of seeking free, equal is so notable and commendable in a male-dominated world.
Shiyun Hu
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